I Am

I have had this writing photocopied and in my Bible now for many years, long before my life got messy. It actually came from a calendar, it is powerful and comforting and I want to share it with you.

"I AM"
I AM the beginning of all things, the end of all things and in the midst of all things.
I was present at your birth; I will be there at the end of your years
and through all the days in between.
I AM ever present.

I AM not only the God of your past and your future,
But I AM also the God of your present moments.
All that I have been and will be, I AM to you now.

You do not have to look at the coming year and wonder how you will get through it
physically, emotionally, mentally, financially or spiritually.

I AM you life, health, strength and supply.
I AM your source, your confidence, your Victory.
I AM

Weaknesses

I've been thinking alot about this lately, maybe because my greatest weakness has been rearing it's ugly head.
We all have them, no one is exempt. Your weakness may be fear, worry, anger, insecurity, the need for approval, lust,..... and the list could go on infinitely. They are there, they are very real and they are very dangerous.
When we find ourselves in the center of a life storm, we are often at our weakest. This is when Satan takes every opportunity to move us farther and farther away from the very one who has the power to carry us through the storm. What does he use? Our weaknesses. He will take that weakness, as small as it may seem and use it to cause doubt which keeps us in a constant state of despair.
So what can we do? We need to build strongholds around our weaknesses. We can't wait for the weakness to go away, because it may never. Build strongholds-walls of protection, around that weakness, based on the truth of scripture.
What does scripture say about fear, worry, self worth and so on. Get out your Bible, find out, and then CLAIM IT!
The next time that weakness, with quiet persistence, tries to pervade your mind, there will be an impenetrable wall of truth protecting you.
That my friend, is the power of God's word. That at our weakest he can make us strong,

Caught In a Storm

Two years ago, I found myself standing on the threshold of a terrifying life storm. As the intensity and duration of this storm grew, grief and isolation became my daily companions. In the midst of my sadness, two dear friends came alongside of me. Since these precious ladies had faced their own frightening voyages through the storm, they were able to extend a compassion and an understanding that helped renew my strength and boost my courage. The reasons for our voyages on the dark and turbulent seas are unique. In the eyes of many, including our own, our lives are messy. I thank God for my messy friends, who loved me unconditionally and who refused to let me face the storm alone.

"The people who belong to the fraternity of grief and suffering can recognize each other, and the level of their empathy is unreachable. No one wants to undergo the initiation, but life often offers us no choice. Once you've been initiated, you become qualified to walk alongside others through their fiery ordeals. Having experienced God's help, I am able to reassure others God hasn't forgotten them but will provide His help and grace.

The suffering God walks us through--and He is with us all the way through--not only proves the sincerity of my love for God, but enables me to understand and empathize with the pain and grief of others. Even though sharing heartache with another person has a sad part, there is incredible joy in telling them about God's care through the darkness, His merciful rescue, and the grace that makes me a stronger, better person than I was before. Because I have been there, I can guarentee others God loves them, He has not abandoned them, He is in control, and He will bring them through their ordeal." from "When Storms Come," by C. Smith

Thank you, dear God, for blessing me with my "messy friends." Thank you that we can share life's burdens and life's joys together!

Labels

Messy Friend. Not a label anyone really chooses or seeks after, but a label that life can abruptly deliver. All three of us would have chosen any number of labels - loyal, faithful, dedicated friend - but not messy. And yet, in the midst of three separate storms in our three separate lives, messy became the bond that has held us together. That and our firm belief that God uses all things for His good and His glory.
So what is a messy friend? It is someone who loves you and stands with you in the midst of the storms in your life - never judging, always willing to listen, never saying I told you so, always believing that God is at work even if that work is unseen - faithfully praying and reminding you that God is in control.
Our storms were different, but for each of us, it was our storms that rocked our worlds and shattered the secure lives we thought we were living. We no longer had any control over our circumstances and needed the prayers and strength of those who truly understood the journey we found ourselves making. That is what God gave us. So here we are - the messy friends.

What are friends for?

I have two friends that I have known many many years. Over the past years ,our friendship has taken on a whole new dimension- that of "Messy friends". You see, each one of us has been through really tough times. We've experienced struggles and lived through circumstances that often leave other friends dumbfounded. Not so with the three of us. We have listened, laughed, cried, encouraged and loved each other through the ups and downs which have been, and at times still are, our lives. We are Messy Friends. We have seen each others messes and have grown to love each other more. Even better, is that we have grown to love our Savior and our Heavenly Father, sometimes more than words can express. When we get together our love and praise flow forth uninhibited because we know that each of us "gets it".
Our Beliefs have been tested and our GOD also. The truth is that He is forever faithful. He alone has the power to both calm and eventually overcome the turmoils of life. HE IS !!!
This blog will be a chance for us to share with whomever wishes to read it, the HOPE that is in Christ alone.